Electric-socket-supporting structure



Oct. 28, 1924. 1,513,393

M. HERSKOVITZ ELECTRIC SOCKET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 21. 1921 2 Shobts-Sheet 1 Oct; 28, 1924.

M. HERSKOVITZ ELECTRIC SOCKET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 21. 192i 2 Shuts Sheet 2 Patented Got. 28, 122 5. i

MAX HERSKO'VITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PEERLESS LIGHT COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF EIIAINE.

ELECTBIC-SOCKET-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE.

Application filed February 21, 1921. Serial No. 446,565.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, MAX Hnnsnovlrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Socket Supporting Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly, though not exclusively, to electric-socketsupporting structures of the type which are sup-ported from a base, as is common with table or floor lamps; and one of my objects is to provide for the supporting of the electric-bulb-receiving sockets in a manner to permit the sockets to be adjusted into different positions relative to the part which supports them, preferably to cause the bulbs carried thereby to extend downwardly or in either direction-in a substantially horizontal plane. Other objects are to provide a novel, simple, substantial and inexpensive construction adapted for manipulation as stated; to provide a new and improved form of combined housing for the electric wires, and support for a socket or sockets, which shall be strong and durable and may be used in a variety of locations and used with either of its wire-receiving tubular portions uppermost; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in elevation of the upper end of a socket-supporting structure provided with a' plurality of bulb-receiving sockets, and embodying my invention, showing the sockets in a position in which the bulbs supported therein and shown by dotted lines, assume a depending position. Figure 2 is a similar view showing the bulb receiving sockets extending in substantially horizontal position but in opposite directions. Figure 3 is a plan section of the conslruction shown in Fig. 2, with the sockets positioned as represented therein, the section being taken at the line 3 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 4 is an enlarged face view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with the bulb-receiving sockets shown partly broken away, the cap-plate at this side of the structure being removed to show interior details. Figure 5 is an inner face view of the cap.- plate above referred to. Figure 6 is an enlarge/d. sect on t e he line 6:6 F g- 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is a vertical'sec'tion taken at the line 7 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 8 is a plan view of the enlarged, 'enerally spherical, portion-of the device of Fig. 1 from which the sockets extend, showing the parts forming this substantially spherical portion, in spaced, but related, positions, the portion of the structure immediately above the said spherical portion being shown in section; and Figure 9, an enlarged broken section taken at the line 9 on Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

In the particular arrangement shown, wherein I have illustrated my invention as applied to an electric-socket-supporting structure of the type involving a base at which the structure is adapted to be supported, as'for example, on a table or a floor, with a standard rising therefrom and supporting adjacent its upper end, the bulbreceiving sockets, the upright, orstandard, portion, which is shown as formed of a tube, is represented at 10, this tube not only serving as a support but also serving to enclose the electric-current-conducting wires which lead to the bulb-receiving sockets hereinafter referred to. The upper end of the tubular upright 10 is secured to a housingmember represented generally at 11, as by screwing the member 10 into the hollow depending boss portion 12 of the housing 11. This boss member 12 is provided as a part of a ringshaped member 13, which is formed, preferably integrally, with an upwardlyextending boss 1d preferably in vertical alignment with the boss 12. The housing portion 11 also comprises cap-plates 15 and 16 of general' dish shape as shown, preferably of semispherical form as shown, Which are adapted to be assembled with the ring-shaped member 13 at the opposite ends of the opening therethrough, in a manner hereinafter described, to complete the housing and cause the housing to be of substantially spherical form as shown. In the particular construction shown the manner of attaching the cap plates to the stationary portion 13 of the housing involves the provision at the opposite ends of the member 13, of the flanges 17 which are in the form of annuli, except for the cut-away portions as represented at 18, the circumferences of these flanges being undercut as represented at 9. The ll-PM??? i plates and 16 with the member 13, the

lugs may be caused to extend into the voids 18, and then by rotating the cappiatcs, these lugs will enter the undercut portions 19 and thereby interlock the cap-plates with the stationary member 13 as shown, these plates being readily removable from the member 13 by rotating them to a position in which the lugs 20 register with the voids 18.

The bulb-receiving sockets of the structure are represented at 21, and may be of any desirable construction, as for example those now commonly in use, thus rendering unnecessary the description of these sockets. In the particular construction shown two of these sockets are employed located at opposite sides of the housing member 11, and so supported that they may be independently swung on this housing member into different positions in a vertical plane, as for example to depend from the housing member, or extend horizontally therefrom in either direction, the particular construction of socket shown being of the pull-chain type, the chains of which are shown at 22, the bulbs fitted into the sockets 21 being represented bydotted lines at 21 in Hi 1, wherein the parts are shown as adjusted to a position in which the bulbs are in depending position.

Each of the sockets 21 is supported from the housing by a clamping ring represented at 23, these rings surrounding the sockets and being held thereto, as by the screws 24 passing through the rings and screwing into the sockets. The ends of the members forming the rings, and represented at 25 extend through diametrically opposed openings 26 in the ring member 13, at which por tions this member is of enlar ed crosssortionas shown at 2?. The en es of the portions 25 are bent opposite directions away from each other to pro ide the outturned ends between which and the inner faces of the enlarged portions ngs 29, loosely surrounding the ends of the meuv here 25, extend. It will thus he noted that each of the socket members 21 is free to be rotated upon the housing 11 into different angular positions hereinbefore described. The rings 29 are of such size that they do not snugly embrace the portions 25, but a clearance is provided therebetween,

and efieet t d i ed -iris tie al r- ;ee

ment of the portions 25 with the walls of the openings 26 through which they extend, I provide any suitable means, as for example the screw devices represented at 30 which extend through unthreaded openings 31 in the rings 29, engaging at their threads with the threads of openings in the adjacent ones of the end portions 25, and extending at their inner extremities into engagement with the other end portions 25. Thus by tightening the screws 30 the end portions 25 may be caused to be spread apart, against their tendency to draw together, and thereby present the desired frictional engagement between them and the walls of the openings 26 through which they extend, whereby the sockets 21, with the bulbs therein, while be ing free to be moved to different positions on the housing 11, will be caused to remain in such adjusted positions.

The sockets may be connected with the current-conducting wires in any desirable way, such connecting wires being represenb ed at 32 and located within the housing 11, these wires extending through the rings 29 and the space between the arms 25 and the openings 26 and thence into the interiors of the sockets 21 through openings (not shown) in the side walls of the latter.

It is desirable that some means be provided for preventing undue rotation of the socket members 21 on the housing 11 to i .e vent the straining, or breaking, of the electrical connections and involving the wires 32, the means shown in the particular coustrnction illustrated, involving the provision on the ring member 13, at. opposite sides thereof, of a pairof stops 33 presenting the shoulders 3 1 which extend into the path of movement of the outer ends 35 of the screws in the rotating of the sockets on the housing 11, these stops being so located. that the sockets will be capable of rotation throughout substantially 180, though this may be varied as desired. The uppermost ones of the stops 33 of each set thereof limits the upward swing of the sockets i... one direction, and the lower ones of the stops 3,3 limits the upward swing of these sockets in the opp site direction, the screw-ends extending substantially midway between the stops of each pair thereof when the sockets are in depending position.

It will be readily foregoing that the structure may he wired, particularly because of the provision of two cap-plates, one at each side of the housing.

The device as shown also provides for the securing to the upright portion of the structure, of a lamp shade, the same being securable at different elevations. This is efi ected in the particular structure shown by the provision of a threaded rod 37 which screws into the'upper boss, 1% and carries two disks 38 and 39 threaded thereon, the upper end of the rod 37 being shown as provided with an ornamental section 40. By virtue of the adaptability of the rod 37 to adjustment up and down on the housing 11 and the adaptability of the disks 38 and 89 to independent adjustment on the rod 37 the structure is adapted to support shades at different elevations relative to the housing 11 and in a manner to present an ornamental appearance. It will be noted that the wires in the housing may be pushed back to permit the rod 37 to screw into the housing to the desired distance in the adjustment of this rod,

lVhat I claim as new, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electric-socketsupporting structure, the combination of a hollow support ing member presenting a chamber and .containing an opening in its wall, an electricbulb-receiving socket located exteriorly of said supporting member, and means engaging said socket and engaging said supporting member adjacent said opening and at fording a rotatable mounting for said socket on said supporting member, said means comprising a band member surrounding said socket and engaging said supporting member.

2. In an electric-socket-supporting structure, the combination of a hollow supporting member presenting a chamber and containing an opening in its Wall, an electricbulbreceiving socket located exteriorly of said supporting member, and means engaging said socket and extending through said opening and affording a rotatable mounting for said socket on said supporting member, said means comprising a band mem ber surrounding said socket, with the ends of said band member extending through said opening and a member interlocking with the inner portions of said ends for holding said socket and band member in oporative relation to said supporting member.

3. In an elcctric-socket-supporting struc ture, the combination of a supporting member containing an opening, an electric-bulbreceiving socket, and means rotatably mounting said socket on said member comprising a socket-supporting device engaging the socket and presenting spaced. apart portions which extend through said opening, the extremities of said portions presenting out- Wardly directed shoulders, and a member surrounding said end portions and confined between said shoulders and the inner surface of said supporting member.

4:. In an electric-socket-supporting structure, the combination of a supporting member, said supporting member containing an opening, an electric-bulb-receiving socket, and means rotatably mounting said socket on said member comprising a SOCket-sup porting device engaging the socket and presenting spaced-apart portions which extend through said opening, the extremities of said portions presenting outwardly directed shoulders, and a member surrounding said end portions and confined between said shoulder and the inner surface of said supporting member, and an adjusting device engaging said end portions and adapted to vary the distance between the latter.

5. In an electrio-socket-supporting structure, the combination of a supporting member, said supporting member containing an opening, an electric-bnib-receiving socket, and means rotatably mounting said socket on said member comprising a socket-supporting device engaging the socket and presenting spaced-apart portions which extend through said opening, the extremities of said portions presenting shoulders, a member loosely surrounding said end portions and located between said shoulders and the inner surface of said supporting member, and means for relatively adjusting said portions to varythe degree of friction exerted between them and the wall of said opening and comprising a screw threaded in one of said end portions and bearing against the other thereof. 1

6. In an electric-socket-supporting structure, the combination of a supporting member, said supporting member containing an opening, an electric-bulb-receiving socket, and means rotatably! mounting said socket on said member comprising a socket-supporting device engaging'the socket and presenting spaced-apart portions which extend through said opening, the extremities of said portions presenting shoulders, a ring loosely surrounding said end portions and located between said shoulders and the inner surface of said supporting member, and means for relatively adjusting said portion to vary the degree of friction exerted between them and the wall of said opening and comprising a screw extending through said ring and threaded in one of said end portions and engaging the other of said end portions.

7. In an electric-socketsupporting structure, the combination of a housing formed of separable sections, a supporting standard and a. shade-attaching member rigidly mounted on the upper and lower portions of one of said sections, and a socket carried by said Iastu'eferred-to section at a side thereof, the said section of said housing to which said standard and shade-supporting member are attached presenting a lateral opening over which the other section of said housing extends, said last-referredto section being removable and replaceable without affecting the position of the others of said parts.

' HEBSKOVITZ. 

